Evaluate my shooting

[fez]

I need to know how bad/good I shoot. My short comings: I'm 67. Eyesight not as crisp as it used to be. I never shot long guns that much. What I'm using: My Longbranch Enfield with the ladder sight down looking thru the battlefield peep. Irag ammo of unknown specs. Shooting off a bag at 50yds. 12 inch target circle. Only took 10 shots. Had one flyer,lower right. Started out in the 7 ring then got it a little closer. Every two shots I looked thru spotting scope.Well what do you guys think? Lay it on me. I've got a thick skin.

[Helen Keller]

honestly, a lot of surplus .303 ammo isnt gonna give you spectacular results.
At 50 yds using 2 shot groups that's still pretty good. :thumbsup:


even with my pristine No.5 using handloads tightest i can get at 100 yards is about 2-3" groups.

[Woogiebear]

I have always loved shooting and consider myself pretty good. I have qualified Expert with my weapon for the last seven years and made the shooting team in Ft. Leonard Wood a few years ago and have done some competitive shooting since, so I have a little experience. What I have learned and teach my guys is that shots that are high or low on the paper are due to breathing, shots to the left or right are trigger pull. It looks like you are more prone to pulling your trigger. Before each trigger squeeze make sure you are putting the meaty portion of your finger on the same spot of the trigger every time, and slowly pull back. Are you left handed? I have found that when I pull the trigger wrong (I'm a lefty) my shots are to the right like yours. Concentrate on squeezing straight back. All you want to do is steadily increase the pressure on the trigger until it goes boom. Working on your breathing is simpler in my opinion. I prefer to hold my breath for a second as I am squeezing the trigger. It helps me to keep the site on target. Don't hold it to long or you will notice your body start moving with the increased beating of your hear. Its actually pretty neat. Just practice breathing while looking down the sites. You should notice your site move down when you inhale, up when you exhale. I know a few guys who time their shots with their inhale/exhale. Never been a big fan of that. You can work on one or the other, or both at the same time. Give it a try and let me know what works for you. I will try to help out further if I can.

[fez]

I have always loved shooting and consider myself pretty good. I have qualified Expert with my weapon for the last seven years and made the shooting team in Ft. Leonard Wood a few years ago and have done some competitive shooting since, so I have a little experience. What I have learned and teach my guys is that shots that are high or low on the paper are due to breathing, shots to the left or right are trigger pull. It looks like you are more prone to pulling your trigger. Before each trigger squeeze make sure you are putting the meaty portion of your finger on the same spot of the trigger every time, and slowly pull back. Are you left handed? I have found that when I pull the trigger wrong (I'm a lefty) my shots are to the right like yours. Concentrate on squeezing straight back. All you want to do is steadily increase the pressure on the trigger until it goes boom. Working on your breathing is simpler in my opinion. I prefer to hold my breath for a second as I am squeezing the trigger. It helps me to keep the site on target. Don't hold it to long or you will notice your body start moving with the increased beating of your hear. Its actually pretty neat. Just practice breathing while looking down the sites. You should notice your site move down when you inhale, up when you exhale. I know a few guys who time their shots with their inhale/exhale. Never been a big fan of that. You can work on one or the other, or both at the same time. Give it a try and let me know what works for you. I will try to help out further if I can.

Thanks for the tips. Practice makes perfect and that's just it. Can't get to the range as often as I like. When I do I try to keep up with my sd handguns. Have to watch my ammo with prices and all. Also, because I don't bench rest that often it takes me awhile to build and get comfortable with my position. Thanks again.

[fez]

I just thought of something else. I shoot handguns 90% of the time and it is mostly in readiness for a self defense scenario. Controlled speed is of the essence. Not wild but getting on target quickly. In this instance one is probably not using all of the steps properly as in target shooting. I am not taking as much time to get a shot off. For sd I am trying to be in com out to 15yds quickly. I'm sure I"m squeezing a shot off but maybe not as precise as in shooting at a target. My point being that maybe my sd type shooting carries over to target shooting and I am not even aware of it.

[fez]

I just gotta say it. Helen Keller you got one of the funniest handles,picture(Jeffery Dammer) and saying (I kill white peoples like you) that I've come across. It really cracked me up the first time and I keep getting a laugh every time I see. You,my friend, are a certified nut. But in a nice way. LOL.

[Woogiebear]

That could be it. I would practice more of the slow and steady shooting, focusing on all the basics until you get it down pretty good. Once that gets to be second nature you can start speeding up your shots and what you have learned/improved/implemented will carry over. This will help to enforce good shooting habits and give you a better chance of hitting the target in a sd situation. I know I would feel horrible if I used my firearm in sd and hit a bystander because I was not properly trained. That and if you practice fundamentals and can hit a small target quickly you have a better chance of putting your target down fast instead of just winging him/her. Just a thought.

[fez]

That could be it. I would practice more of the slow and steady shooting, focusing on all the basics until you get it down pretty good. Once that gets to be second nature you can start speeding up your shots and what you have learned/improved/implemented will carry over. This will help to enforce good shooting habits and give you a better chance of hitting the target in a sd situation. I know I would feel horrible if I used my firearm in sd and hit a bystander because I was not properly trained. That and if you practice fundamentals and can hit a small target quickly you have a better chance of putting your target down fast instead of just winging him/her. Just a thought.

Good advice again. The key is hitting a moving target. That is what will probably be going on in a sd situation. That is hard to practice for. No ranges around me that offer that type of training or shooting. Almost too easy to hit a static target,under no pressure,out to 15yds with a decent handgun. At this point I'm always in com. I real life,God forbid, I hope I would do the same.

[ltorlo64]

I thought it looked pretty good for only firing a few rounds from an old gun and using old ammo. Keeping everything in the colored part of the target when you don't get a lot of time to shoot and are using irons is not bad. Looks as good as some of the targets we posted when doing some C&R shoots a few years ago. Well, at least as good as mine!

[Schuetzenman]

Well I've seen better. Shame we couldn't get together I could probably get you to putting them all in the black at 50 yards. I've coached / instructed other guys a lot younger than you that didn't shoot any better initially. Woogiebear has given some good tips. I would also suggest that you put your hand under the stock as if you were shooting offhand, but rest your hand on a sandbag or shooting rest for steadiness. Enfields can be finicky about where they are gripped. This goofs with the barrel harmonics and can improve or hinder accuracy. Aside from the slow squeeze straight back on the trigger I would also say hang on and don't relax your muscle tension until 2 seconds after the rifle has finished recoiling. Maintaining a firm grip on the rifle will give more uniform results.

[fez]

Well I've seen better. Shame we couldn't get together I could probably get you to putting them all in the black at 50 yards. I've coached / instructed other guys a lot younger than you that didn't shoot any better initially. Woogiebear has given some good tips. I would also suggest that you put your hand under the stock as if you were shooting offhand, but rest your hand on a sandbag or shooting rest for steadiness. Enfields can be finicky about where they are gripped. This goofs with the barrel harmonics and can improve or hinder accuracy. Aside from the slow squeeze straight back on the trigger I would also say hang on and don't relax your muscle tension until 2 seconds after the rifle has finished recoiling. Maintaining a firm grip on the rifle will give more uniform results.

Thanks for more good advice. Many of the points brought up I know about but it's all in the execution. To bad it's about money. I have to nurse my ammo along in all calibers. That's why only the ten rounds. Also, as I hardly bench rest I just can't get that "right" spot at first. Kinda settle in if you know what I mean. Hey,if I hit the lottery I'll be better then Annie Oakley. LOL.

[Helen Keller]

thats why i took the plunge into reloading 303. Have piles of brass now and use cast bullets for my rifles, the bren gets FMJs until I get another bolt carrier to modify for light loads.

[fez]

By the way the last four shots,1 on the edge of the dark green and black 2 in the inner black and one bulls eye were the last. I was getting more comfortable at that point.